China’s desire to Mainstream: This dream was never meant for us!

Between High and popular culture is no different: In the high-culture set by this Conviction for a long time, in circles, so, much to the benefit of that, you can commute between all possible levels of the arts scores. In China, it is now, however, in the rare case of a counter-sample, in the expectation of popular culture, so bitter was disappointed that the share of responsible Investors “Huace Media” rushed to its hitherto lowest level.

It happened on new year’s eve. The Film “The last night on earth” by the young Director Bi Gan (which had its acclaimed Premiere in Cannes, under the international title of “Long Day’s Journey into Night”) in the cinemas of the people’s Republic on 31.December at 21.50 clock, so that the last Minute, a kiss scene would fall between the superstar Tang Wei and Huang Jue, precisely at the turn of the year. Advertising in social media, urged the audience, “to spend the most important night of the year with the most important people in your life – with a kiss”.

Never an Arthouse Film in China successful

The strategy was actually The Film that night 264 million Yuan, equivalent to 38 million dollars, which even surpasses the Figures, the “Transformers: The Last Knight” reached; never an art-house Film have been in China more successful. However, during the presentations it came to dramatic scenes. Eye-witness reports from hosts customer people fled from the theaters. On the cinema Website Maoyan the Film reached only 2.8 out of ten; the comments outbid each other in the superlatives of the rejection: “The worst movie in the history! Scammers, Thieves! I am indignant.“

the next day, the revenue decreased to 11.15 million Yuan. The anger was apparently so great, because you could trust the promises of the marketing so far, without hesitation: If you the track is a carefree, guaranteed irritation were free romantic Comedy with the greatest possible common denominator, it was credible. But now it was suddenly lured to a “roller-coaster ride through memory, melancholy, and movie magic” (The Hollywood Reporter), “exploring expressionist virgin soil full of questions according to time, space and truth” (The Daily Beast), in a “tightly-woven, and slowly mesmerizing cinematographic Festival” (Twitter).